Analysis means that crops have completely different potential for protein extraction in biorefining

New sustainable protein sources with low environmental influence are wanted, if we’re to fulfill environmental and local weather issues in meals provide. Due to this fact, researchers from the Division of Agroecology have studied two nitrogen-fertilized grasses and three legumes in an try to seek out essentially the most optimum inexperienced biomass for protein extraction.

“Now we have beforehand developed a technique to evaluate the potential to squeeze protein out of inexperienced crops. This methodology has enabled us to seek out the protein potential of a crop sooner or later with out it having to undergo the biorefinery,” says postdoc Henrik Thers from the Division of Agroecology.

Now the researchers have used the tactic to evaluate the potential of 5 completely different crops:

• White clover
• Crimson clover
• Alfalfa
• Lucerne Rye grass
• Seashore fescue

The place the three legumes are unfertilized, the grasses are fertilized with three ranges of fertilizer.

Lucerne and purple clover present essentially the most protein

“We have measured yields for 2 years and once you have a look at yields alone, the grasses are exhausting to beat, however we have additionally checked out crude protein content material and there the content material per dry matter is barely greater within the legumes. Which means once you have a look at the protein content material per hectare, it’s truly a tie between the grasses and the legumes,” says Henrik Thers.

The one exception is white clover, which may’t sustain with the both of different crops. Over the 2 years, purple clover has a quite fluctuating outcome, whereas alfalfa is steady on the identical stage as essentially the most fertilized grasses when crude protein.

However there’s a distinction in how the protein is sure within the crops. Due to this fact, the researchers used the CNCPS methodology to research how a lot protein may very well be extracted as soon as in a biorefinery. It seems that there’s a distinction between grasses and legumes particularly, with a better proportion of the protein in legumes having the potential to be extracted within the biorefinery.

“Then alfalfa and purple clover are then instantly above the grasses. That is an vital message, I feel, as a result of there are already industrial biorefineries in Denmark, and primarily based on these outcomes they are going to get extra out of together with legumes or mixtures of grass and legumes of their inexperienced biomass than grass alone. So, there’s a potential manufacturing acquire by together with legumes,” says Henrik Thers.

Extra advantages from legumes

“There is a crucial level in relation to alfalfa and the opposite legumes. That’s that by not having to fertilize them with nitrogen, we in all probability save quite a lot of nitrous oxide, and we actually save the local weather influence of getting to supply the fertilizers. So, from a local weather and environmental perspective, we’ve got to imagine that the end result is extra constructive with the legumes,” says Henrik Thers.

However, when extra of the whole protein in a crop is extracted for the focus within the biorefinery, there can be much less left within the residue—the pulp. It’s typically supposed as feed for cattle, and so the feed worth of the pulp can be barely decrease, in line with the researchers.

The examine is revealed within the Journal of the Science of Meals and Agriculture.